Insulated Tile Flooring

ABSTRACT

Insulated tile flooring may comprise an outer surface used to support temperature sensitive goods and machinery typically used to move such goods into a shipping container or other means of transport. The outer surface may comprise a shell and be composed of injection molded high density polyethylene (HDPE). A shell may define a plurality of void areas conducive to being filled via injection in a top to bottom manner to form an inner fill that may comprise CFC-free foamed-in-place or formed elsewhere, polyisocyanurate foam. A bottom most layer of a tile piece may comprise heavy gauge, reflective, double-sided, reinforced pure aluminum foil. Tiles may be manufactured via tile shells temporally attached and defining an inner void used for forming center insulation. The tile shells may then be separated with the inner foam cut to comport to each shell and foil placed over the exposed insulation.

COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK NOTICE

This application includes material which is subject or may be subject to copyright and/or trademark protection. The copyright and trademark owner(s) has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trademark rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The invention generally relates to insulated flooring systems useful in shipping temperature sensitive items. More particularly, the invention relates to means of manufacture, use and end products used as insulated tiles or flooring sometimes constructed by insulation injection into honeycomb structures with foil backing.

(2) Description of the Related Art

The known related art fails to anticipate or disclose the principles of the present invention.

In the related art, general flooring systems are known and may attempt to provide thermal resistance. But the systems of the prior art are neither economical nor effective in floor applications.

U.S. published patent application US20120031957A1 Vacuum Insulation Panel by Whittaker, published on Feb. 9, 2012 provides adequate insulation properties but fails to support the floor loads experienced by shipping containers or rail cars. U.S. Pat. No. 7,353,960 Cargo Container with insulated floor issued to Seiter on Apr. 8, 2008 provides sturdy means of floor insulation but lacks modularity or efficient means of manufacture.

Thus, there is a need in the art for the presently disclosed embodiments.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes shortfalls in the related art by presenting an unobvious and unique combination and configuration of methods and components to provide an economical, strong and thermally effective flooring system that comports with the transport of goods in shipment or in storage.

The invention overcomes shortfalls in the related art by using a unique honeycomb structures to define both voids for injected insulation and a superior support structure to support forklifts and other machinery typically used in the movement of goods. The disclosed honeycomb structures provide a resilient top surface, inter honeycomb voids suitable to be filled with insulation and the inner honeycomb structure artfully defines fill voids, useful in a top down filling of the insulation voids.

Disclosed embodiment overcome shortfalls in the related art by novel manufacturing techniques that may include the use of two shell pieces with the two shell pieces being near or exact mirror images of one another or copies of each other. Each shell may have a planar backing of solid plastic, solid vertical and lower horizontal sides, and a horizontal top side defining half circular fill voids. Each shell may further comprise, or future define inner honeycomb walls with the honeycomb walls defining vertical fill voids starting from the top horizonal surface to the lowest honeycomb void structure at the lower horizonal side of each shell.

In one disclosed manufacturing process, two shells are fastened together. The top horizontal edges of the shells define a plurality of circular filling voids. Liquid foam insulation may be injected or poured into the top voids, the insulation material entering interior fill voids and filling a plurality of interior honeycomb structures. After the interior foam insulation has set, the two shells may be cut longitudinally along the vertical top edge resulting in two insulated floor pieces. The bottom sides of each piece may be covered with foil. Such foil or other coverings may include the use of mono-plastic. The top sides of each piece are covered by the original shell surface. Each finished piece provides superior thermal properties by virtue of the insulation material used and configuration of plurality of interior honeycomb structures.

Disclosed embodiments may also comprise film variants sometimes applied to the lower section of a finished piece.

The disclosed embodiments are well suited for the transportation industry wherein the objective of maintaining product integrity during transport is often in tension with the objective of minimizing the costs of temperature control and minimizing the costs the structures used in thermal protection. In the prior art, minimizing temperature fluctuation for goods in transit involved active heating or refrigeration units (refers). The active heating and cooling of the prior art was costly and environmentally destructive. When cargo is in or out of a refrigeration unit, passive insulation is used. The Applicant/Assignee Proteck Cargo Inc. has produced and currently produces many effective passive elements for sides and top walls for railroad boxcars, intermodal containers and semi-trailers for trucks. Such passive elements successfully minimize temperature fluctuations, transportation costs and environmental impact.

Unfortunately the prior art lacks means of providing structurally sound passive elements for industrial floors. Often, in the transportation industry, floors are left uninsulated as such floors endure extreme loads and impacts due to the use of forklifts and trucks. Thus, common flooring or common insulation products do not endure in a transportation environment. The disclosed embodiments overcome these prior art shortfalls by use of superior insulation values and structural strength. The disclosed embodiments may be used separately or combined with other products for additional thermal protection.

Disclosed shells, floor piece skeletons, or tile flooring may comprise injection molded high density polyethylene (HDPE). Insulation components may comprise CFC-free foamed-in-place or formed elsewhere, polyisocyanurate foam. Backing pieces or lower pieces may comprise heavy gauge, reflective, double-sided, reinforced pure aluminum foil.

The disclosed embodiments are specifically engineered to provide superior thermal protection in the three modes of thermal movement with such modes comprising thermal radiation, convection and conduction. In general, heat travels from areas of higher temperatures to areas of lower temperatures by one or more of the three above referenced modes of heat transfer. The disclosed embodiments comport with, and provide excellent results in all modes of transport that may include railcars, shipping containers and other enclosures.

The disclosed embodiments overcome shortfalls in the art by new and artful designs and/or configurations that may include cargo flooring secured to two or so inches of wood flooring or similar material. Tile flooring or top pieces may include fill voids and isolated chambers allowing two tiles be fitted together and then filled with a variety of insulation pours or spray foams. Insulation may also be fabricated independently and then fitted between two tile flooring pieces or fitted under a solo tile floor piece.

An insulation piece may comprise a durable HDPE honeycomb lattice capable of enduring forklift and load use, having been tested for up to 25,000 pounds in both static and live loads.

Disclosed embodiments include the use of a plurality of counter sunk voids for flush surface attachment, lasting securement and ease of installation.

Disclosed embodiments have achieved thermal R values of approximately 8 by the artful maximization of insulation volume while reducing the volume of HDPE used to fabricate the top piece, frame to tile floor piece. The approximate R value of 8 is derived from embodiments being approximately one inch in thickness. Other R values may be achieved by the fabrication of embodiments being thicker or thinner.

These and other objects and advantages will be made apparent when considering the following detailed specification when taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of two shells

FIG. 2 depicts a detailed view of two shells

FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of two shell attached to each other

FIG. 4 depicts two shells spaced apart

FIG. 5 depicts an interior side of a shell

FIG. 6 depicts an expanded view of an interior side of a shell

FIG. 7 depicts an interior view of a shell

FIG. 8 depicts insulation slightly pulled out of shell

FIG. 9 depicts insulation fully pulled out of a shell

FIG. 10 depicts two shells on either side of a formed piece of insulation

FIG. 11 depicts a formed piece of insulation split in two

FIG. 12 depicts two shell attached together

FIG. 13 depicts two shells split apart with formed insulation on the interior sides of the shells

FIG. 14 depicts two split shells with formed insulation facing upwardly

FIG. 15 is an expanded view of FIG. 14 showing formed insulation within a shell

FIG. 16 depicts FIG. 15 flipped over with the closed surface of the shell facing upwardly

FIG. 17 depicts a bottom side of a shell with fasters

FIG. 18 depicts foil being disposed on the underside of a shell filled with insulation

FIG. 19 depicts a plurality of disclosed embodiments disposed on the floor of a shipping container or other means of transport

FIG. 20 depicts an expanded view of FIG. 19

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS

100 a disclosed system in general

200 floor tile or shell

205 inner open side of shell

210 closed outer surface of shell

211 back side of shell surface

212 raised outer surface of shell

213 surface creases defined by raised outer surfaces 212 of shell

215 void for fastening shells together, defined by outer surface 210 of shell

217 fastener channel

220 upper edge of shell

233 vertical interior fill voids, defined by interior honeycomb walls

225 upper edge fill voids, defined with upper edge 220 of shell

227 interior honeycomb walls

229 interior honeycomb structure, defined by interior honeycomb walls

260 vertical side edge of shell

270 lower or bottom horizontal edge of shell

280 fasteners

300 insulating material

400 reflective and/or insulating element

500 shipping container

550 interior walls of shipping container

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is directed to certain specific embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be embodied in a multitude of different ways as defined and covered by the claims and their equivalents. In this description, reference is made to the drawings wherein like parts are designated with like numerals throughout.

Unless otherwise noted in this specification or in the claims, all of the terms used in the specification and the claims will have the meanings normally ascribed to these terms by workers in the art.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in a sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application.

The above detailed description of embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, while steps are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform routines having steps in a different order. The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not only the systems described herein. The various embodiments described herein can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the detailed description.

Any and all the above references and U.S. patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions and concepts of the various patents and applications described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 depicts an underside of a first shell 200 or frame unit on the left and a second shell 200 on the right. The second shell has an outer covered surface 210 shown in the foreground. A shell may comprise an upper edge 220 and two vertical side edges 260.

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a first shell on the left and a second shell on the right. The first shell on the left is shown with an interior honeycomb side with interior honeycomb mold sections defined by a plurality of interior honeycomb walls 227. The top member of each honeycomb mold section may comprise a vertical upper edge fill void 225. Each upper edge fill void may accept insulation and pass insulation to a lower void. The bottom most honeycomb mold sections have flat and solid bottom members, with said bottom members sometimes being lower edges 270 has shown in FIG. 5.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the second shell on the right shows a plurality of raised outer surfaces 212 that may be defined by a plurality of surface creases 213.

FIG. 3 depicts two shells in attachment ready to be filled with insulation. Each shell may define on or more attachment voids 215 such as the attachment void shown in the center of a shell. The center void may be congruent with or be further defined by a fastener channel 217 as shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 4, two shell are spaced apart revealing top edges 220 that may define a plurality of fill voids 225. The shell on the left exposes honeycomb mold structures that may be defined by a plurality of interior honeycomb walls 227.

FIG. 5 depicts the honeycomb side of a shell, showing a fastener channel 217, a bottom horizontal edge 270, two vertical side edges 260 and a upper edge 220. The bottom horizontal edge defines the lower boundaries of the lower honeycomb chambers, with the bottom horizontal edge not having vertical interior fill voids as found in the upper chambers.

FIG. 6 presents an expanded view of honeycomb chambers sometimes used to distribute and contain poured or injected insulation. The back side of each honeycomb chamber may be further defined by a back side 211 of the shell surface. Hatch lines are used to show the solid back side of some parts of the outer shell surface.

FIG. 7 presents another view of the honeycomb side of a shell.

FIG. 8 depicts formed insulation 300 slightly pulled out of a shell in order to show properties and shapes of formed insulation. The vertical fill voids are apparent in the insulation by the gaps in the upper boundaries of each honeycomb chamber.

FIG. 9 depicts a formed piece of insulation 300 fully removed from a shell.

FIG. 10 depicts a formed piece of insulation 300 disposed between the two shells 200 used to form the insulation.

FIG. 11 depicts formed insulation split in two to demonstrate a disclosed method of manufacture wherein two shells are placed together and insulation is poured or injected into the interior chambers defined by the two inner sides of the shells. After formation of the insultation, the shells may be removed, the formed insulation may be cut or otherwise split as shown. Each split piece of insulation may then be placed back into a shell. The insulation side of each shell may be covered with foil or other coverings before use. The cutting or splitting of the insulation may also occur when the shells are attached, with the saw or other cutting implement disposed at the joint where the two shells meet.

FIG. 12 depicts two shells in attachment.

FIG. 13 depicts two shells in a cut or separated condition with each shell filled with insulation.

FIG. 14 depicts two shells face down, with the insulation exposed.

FIG. 15 depicts an expanded view of FIG. 14 showing the shell chambers filled with insulation. The upper side shows insulation disposed within the honeycomb walls defined by the shell.

FIG. 16 depicts a flip side of FIG. 15 showing the closed outer surface of the shell.

FIG. 17 depicts a plurality of fasteners sometimes 280 sometimes used to secure two shells together.

FIG. 18 depicts a disclosed embodiment 100 wherein foil 400 or other material is disposed over insulation 300, with the insulation further contained within a shell 300.

FIG. 19 depicts a shipping container 600 which may take the form of any other means of transport and a plurality of disclosed floor tile components 100 interlocked and disposed upon the floor.

FIG. 20 depicts a plurality of disclosed embodiments on the floor of a shipping container and abutted against the walls 550.

In alternative embodiments, an insulation piece 300 may be manufactured without the use of a shell or floor tile and may be formed with other molds, 3D printing or by use of routers and other cutting tools with such cutting tools sometime controlled by CNC machinery. In a further alternative embodiment, the underside of a shell may be attached to a sheet of foil and then the insulation may be injected into the shell with the foil preventing the insulation from breaching the interior honeycomb molds. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An insulated floor tile comprising: a) an outer shell having an back solid surface and the solid surface having vertical interior fill walls defining honeycomb voids; b) insultation disposed withing the honeycomb voids; c) foil attached to an inferior side of the insulation.
 2. The insulated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the outer shell defines a plurality of fill voids to comport with injection of insulation into the plurality of honeycomb voids.
 3. The insulated floor tile of claim 2 wherein the back solid surface of the outer shell is further defined by surface creases.
 4. The insulated floor tile of claim 3 wherein the surface creases define a plurality of honeycomb shapes upon the back sold surface of the outer shell.
 5. The insulated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the outer shell is comprised of high density polyethylene.
 6. The insulated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the insulation comprises polyisocyanurate foam.
 7. The insulated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the foil comprises reflective, double-sided reinforced aluminum foil.
 8. A method of manufacturing insulated floor tile, the method comprising the steps of: a) attaching a first outer shell to a second outer shell, with the first and second outer shells each comprising a back side, an inner open side, with the inner open side comprising a plurality of interior honeycomb walls with the honeycomb defining a plurality of honeycomb fill voids; b) using insulation material to fill the honeycomb fill voids; c) cutting the insulation at a junction where the first and second outer shells are in contact; d) placing foil over the exposed insulation contained in each outer shell.
 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of using of high density polyethylene in the construction of each outer shell.
 10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of using polyisocyanurate foam as the insulation material. 